CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE RESONANT TRIAL (Part two)
A voice echoed through the arena—
not projected,
not shouted.
Just delivered.
A pulse-tuned whisper, carried through glyph-threaded stone:
"Squads Echo, Recon, and Medic… step forward."
One by one, they moved.
Mino stood first—Recon leader, sharp-eyed and already braced for war.
Sylie followed—quiet, composed, Medic's calm anchor.
Then Echo.
Kaelen stepped into the ring like it was his birthright.
Yolti adjusted her gloves but didn't speak.
Selka's expression didn't change.
And Zephryn…
He didn't move.
Not yet.
His eyes were locked on the glyph below—
the spiral beneath their feet.
And for a second, he felt like it had turned toward him.
The voice continued:
"Squad leads acknowledged.
Echo: Buta of the Yuki.
Recon: Mino of the Seravelle.
Medic: Sylie of the Voss."
A shift rippled through the spectators.
Not murmurs.
Memory.
Because the name Buta hadn't been spoken aloud in months.
And now it echoed through the Trial chamber like thunder caught in a whisper.
Zephryn lowered his head.
Just once.
Kaelen glanced at him.
Didn't speak.
Didn't need to.
That name lived in both of them—
and right now, it was watching.